1/14/25

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

D+70

1963 George Wallace was sworn in as Governor of Alabama, promising "segregation now; segregation tomorrow; segregation forever!"

2019 President Donald Trump denied he was a Russian agent after an NY Times article stated the FBI started an investigation and the Washington Post raised issues over a meeting with Vladimir Putin

2021 US Secret Service took control of Joe Biden's inauguration as 20,000 troops were authorized to guard Washington D.C., more than those stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Somalia

In bed at 9:05, awake at 3:00,  unable to sleep with thoughts of TSJ and MLSJ, Ben, Pat Keane, 'catalyzer of friendships," milking life, yahrzeit, and up at 3:30.  The temperature of 10° and a wind chill of 2° have me thinking of Lilly, the birds, chipmunks, and other creatures outside.       

Prednisone, day 245, 5 mg., + 2.5 mg., day 7.  5 mg. prednisone at 4:45 a.m. with coffee cake Geri got at Glorioso's yesterday.  Other meds at noon.  2.5 mg. prednisone at 5:45 p.m.

One year ago today, it was even colder than today: a high of 10° and a wind chill of -35°.  "Another Lilly scare.   I got up to go to bed at 9 last night but Geri called to me that Lilly was in trouble again, couldn't stand up again, and appeared to be in pain . . . Geri gets down on the floor and comforts her.  If I get on the floor, it's a struggle to get up.  I still call Lilly "Puppy" but she is 14 years, 3 months, and 1 week old.  Our hearts are aching. . . I see Lilly's struggle with standing and with her gait and I see myself."  "It ís the blight man was born for, / It is Margaret you mourn for. "   

Two years ago today, I was complaining about the side effects of the amitriptyline med I was taking for chronic pelvic pain.  The urologist put me on it; Dr. Chatt took me off it.   

Today's confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth has me despairing about the future of our nation. The chairman, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, had refused Jack Reed's request that the FBI background investigation of Hegseth be made available to the committee members in addition to the chair and the ranking member. The first two Democratic questioners, Jack Reed and Jean Shaheen, were incredibly ineffective.  The best questioners were Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Duckworth.  The Republicans were generally disgusting.  I see that Oklahoma senator  Markwayne Mullen has taken to imitating Representative Jim Jordan by appearing at formal congressional hearings in shirtsleeves.  He hasn't gone full-Jordan insofar as his sleeves are not rolled up.   I suspect that Donald Trump is very happy with Hegseth's performance.  I watched the entire hearing and at its conclusion, I thought he would get affirmative votes from all the Republicans and negative votes from all the Democrats.  I suspect he will be confirmed by the Senate with all the 53 Republicans voting for him.

No surprise - At the conclusion of the hearing, Hagseth's supporters in the peanut gallery chanted USA USA USA!!!

Letter from the VA:  "Pharmacy procurement has a team that follows patients on biologic medicines.  The pharmacy CSMM clinic will be reaching out to you and begin following you to discuss safety, tolerability, efficacy of SARILUMAB (KEVZARA)  going forward.  Sincerely, Rheumatology"

Good news: KEVZARA® (sarilumab) is indicated for treating adult patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) who have had an inadequate response to corticosteroids or who cannot tolerate corticosteroid taper.

Bad news: WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS INFECTIONS.  Patients treated with KEVZARA are at increased risk for developing serious infections that may lead to hospitalization or death. Opportunistic infections have also been reported in patients receiving KEVZARA. Most patients who developed infections were taking concomitant immunosuppressants such as methotrexate or corticosteroids.  Avoid use of KEVZARA in patients with an active infection.

Constantine's Sword.  I watched this DVD from the library.  I thought very highly of James Carroll's book, but not so much of this DVD.  Mad for TV?  I was impressed however by the DVD's treatment of the modern relations between the Popes and the Jews, from Pius IX through Benedict XVI, and the treatment of Edith Stein.  The DVD and the book are very different.  The book, as I recall it, was an extensive historical study of the Church's and Christians' treatment of Jews, with Carroll's personal history very secondary.  The DVD is much more focused on Carroll himself and he is indeed the narrator and 'star' of the story.  It also focuses on the challenge of evangelizing at the U. S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and features interviews with the evangelical pastor Ted Haggard (later disgraced in a homosexual sex and drug scandal.)  At the conclusion of the DVD, there is a still shot of  Benedict XVI and this text:

Months after associating Islam with "things only evil and inhuman,: Benedict XVI revered reforms of Vatican II to authorize a Good Friday Mass that includes a previously disavowed prayer - for the conversion of the Jews.

The film concludes with Aaron Neville singing Bob Dylan's song, With God on Our Side.

Oh, my name—it ain't nothin' /My age—it means less / The country I come from / Is called the Midwest

I's taught and brought up there / The laws to abide / And that the land that I live in / Has God on its side

Oh, the history books tell it / They tell it so well / The cavalries charged / The Indians fell

The cavalries charged / The Indians died / Oh, the country was young / With God on its side

The Spanish-American  / War had its day / And the Civil War too / Was soon laid away

And the names of the heroes / I's made to memorize / With guns in their hands / And God on their side

The First World War, boys / It came and it went / The reason for fighting /I never did get

But I learned to accept it / Accept it with pride / For you don't count the dead / When God's on your side

The Second World War / Came to an end / We forgave the Germans / And then we were friends

Though they murdered six million / In the ovens they fried / The Germans now too / Have God on their side

I've learned to hate the Russians / All through my whole life / If another war comes / It's them we must fight 

To hate them and fear them / To run and to hide / And accept it all bravely / With God on my side

But now we got weapons / Of chemical dust / If fire them we're forced to / Then fire them we must

One push of the button / And a shot the world wide / And you never ask questions / When God's on your side

Through many dark hour / I've been thinkin' about this / That Jesus Christ / Was betrayed by a kiss

But I can't think for you / You'll have to decide / Whether Judas Iscariot / Had God on his side

So now as I'm leavin' / I'm weary as Hell / The confusion I'm feelin' / Ain't no tongue can tell

The words fill my head / And they fall to the floor / That if God's on our side / He'll stop the next war